Silver & Gold

I feel like Yukon Cornelius on Christmas! A silver salmon at dawn and golden chanterelles by dusk. You can't ask for better lucre than that, not in my book.

The silver was nothing to brag about—a small resident salmon caught at a local beach that made a good meal for the kids. The chanties came from a quick jaunt out to the foothills. It's been raining clams and oysters in the Puget Sound region for the last week and I figured there'd be some early gold in them thar hills. Sure enough, my usual spot produced a nice haul. If this weather continues, we're in for a serious fall of shroomery. The salmon forecast, on the other hand, is up for grabs.

Here's a killer chanterelle recipe that's much easier to make than it looks.

Chicken and Chanterelles in Tomato Madeira Sauce

1. Saute diced shallot and garlic in olive oil. Add chopped chanterelles and cook until mushrooms release their water. Season to taste. Meanwhile add penne pasta to salted boiling water.

2. Add 2 tablespoons of tomato paste to sauce and stir. In a separate pan, fry pounded-thin and floured chicken cutlets in butter.

3. Finish tomato-chanterelle sauce with madeira wine and add water as necessary.

4. Serve sauce over chicken over pasta, and sprinkle with chopped parsley.